Research in Theory of Elementary Particles and Cosmology

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Stanford High Energy Theory Group proposes a broad program of research at the leading edge of theoretical physics. Elementary particle physics is poised to enter a new era as the Large Hadron Collider begins operation. Dimopoulos will continue his model building efforts to understand the data coming from this machine. Toward the same end Kachru and Silverstein will continue to investigate mechanisms of supersymmetry breaking, including distinctively stringy ones. They will also explore mediation mechanisms and other aspects of model building that are natural in string theory. Cosmology and especially inflation is a central interest of the Stanford group. An important topic will be to better understand metastable vacua in string theory and more generally the structure of the string landscape. This will include ideas building on the KKLT (Kachru, Kallosh, Linde, Trivedi) construction and work of Silverstein and collaborators. Linde, Shenker and Susskind will continue to study the puzzling phenomenon of eternal inflation. These studies will include work on the measure problem and on holographic definitions. Kachru, Kallosh and Linde will continue their efforts to build stringy models of slow roll inflation and to study the phenomenological constraints on the gravitino mass and gravity wave production. Linde and Susskind will study the phenomenological consequences of a relatively small number of e-foldings of slow roll inflation. Shenker and Silverstein will continue to study resolutions of spacelike singularities like the big bang and the black hole singularity in the context of string theory. Dimopoulos will continue to explore how atom interferometer techniques can be used to construct novel gravity wave detectors and implement sharp tests of General Relativity. The basic structure of string theory has long been a focus of this group. Examples of activities in this direction include Silverstein?s further study of D-duality and Kallosh?s proposed work on attractors and black hole composites. As leaders in their fields, members of the Stanford group will continue to mentor graduate students and postdocs. They will also continue their efforts to communicate physics to the broader public. As in the past these efforts will include the design and development of courses aimed at non-physicists, giving public lectures, writing popular articles and books, and participating in the making of films and videos aimed at the general public.